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Yorkshire's thousands add to walk in peace over poverty
Written by yorkguides.co.uk   
Chris Bond
WHILE Sir Bob Geldof's monumental Live8 concert grabbed the headlines, record numbers of protesters hit the streets of Edinburgh at the weekend calling for an end to poverty in Africa.



Yorkshire Post


About 225,000 people formed a human band around the streets of Scotland's capital in support of the Make Poverty History campaign.
It was twice as many as expected, with people of all walks of life descending on Edinburgh for the demo, the biggest Scotland has ever seen, to put pressure on G8 leaders who convene in Gleneagles this week.
In spite of concerns of violence the rally passed peacefully, the only flashpoint coming near the city centre when a group of some 60 black-clad anarchists were penned into a street by police after displaying "aggressive behaviour".
Edinburgh will continue to be the focus of attention this week with Geldof's "million" march on Wednesday gaining momentum.
Extra police officers have also been drafted in from across Britain, as part of a massive security operation, with a core group of demonstrators and anti-capitalists planning to blockade the Gleneagles Hotel where the three-day summit is taking place.
Both police chiefs and Make Poverty History organisers will be hoping both protests echo the spirit of Saturday's rally which saw just two arrests.
The historic march involving 400 leading charities and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), including Oxfam, Christian Aid and Cafod, began at 12.15pm with people continuing to pour into the city all afternoon.
Trains and coaches arrived from Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield, York and Wakefield, with groups as diverse as Kirklees Unison and Sheffield's Scared Heart School making the journey north.
Tidal (Trade Injustice and Debt Action Leeds) chartered two trains and eight coaches that ferried nearly 2,000 people to Edinburgh.
Others travelled from as far away as Belgium, Canada and Brazil.
Campaigners and celebrities including, actor Pete Postlethwaite, comedian Eddie Izzard and Texas singer Sharleen Spiteri, addressed the enormous crowds.
It took many up to five hours just to reach the starting point such was the sheer volume of people, most of who were dressed in white – a symbol of the Make Poverty History campaign.
The city was transformed into a carnival of colour and sound with tens of thousands of flags and banners stretching as far as the eye could see.
While horns, whistles and the pounding of African drums filled the air as the march snaked its way through the streets.
Bishop of Pontefract Right Rev Tony Robinson was among the many religious leaders on the march.
"There were lots of people who felt passionately about making poverty history, far more than I anticipated there would be," he said.
Having seen the effects of trade liberalisation on farmers during a recent trip to Senegal, Bishop Robinson wants to see trade justice for African people.
"They want to help themselves and to be able to make a decent living from their land.
"My hope is that the G8 will not allow richer countries to exploit the poorer countries, particularly the people of Africa."
International Development Secretary Hilary Benn
was one of several
Yorkshire MPs who joined the march.
"I just think this is extraordinary, this is a tide of humanity here in Edinburgh who want things to change and we, as politicians, need to be listening and now is the time to do it."
The Leeds Central MP
said political attitudes towards Africa were
changing, citing the agreement over widespread debt cancellation and the willingness of countries like Nigeria to tackle corruption, as proof.
"I think Africa is changing and it shows politics is working," he said.
His views were echoed by Leeds North West MP, Greg Mulholland (Lib Dem). He said after the march: "It was a wonderful occasion and showed just how many ordinary people are angry about the state of poverty in Africa.
"The challenge for our politicians is to make sure that message is carried to the G8 summit."
 
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